"Now, Fred, you must take my place," said he, throwing himself in an exhausted condition on a "settle." "But perhaps your partner may want a rest?" suggested Fred. Lass Number 1 scorned the idea: so Fred began. "Are your fingers not tired?" asked Mr Sudberry, wiping his bald forehead, which glistened as if it had been anointed with oil. "Not yet," said McAllister quietly. Not yet! If the worthy Highlander had played straight on all night and half the next day, he would have returned the same answer to the same question. "You spend a jolly life of it here," said Mr Sudberry to Mrs McAllister. "Ay, a pleasant life, no doot; but we're not _always_ fiddling and dancing." "True, but the variety of herding the cattle on these splendid hills is charming." "So it is," assented Mrs McAllister; "we've reason to be contented with our lot. Maybe ye would grow tired of it, however, if ye was always here. I'm told that the gentry whiles grow tired of their braw rooms, and take to plowterin' aboot the hills and burns for change. Sometimes they even dance wi' the servants in a Highland cottage!" "Ha! you have me there," cried Mr Sudberry, laughing. "Let me sit down, pa, pray do!" cried Lucy. Her father rose quickly, and Lucy dropped into his place quite exhausted. "Come, father, relieve me!" cried Fred. "I'm done up, and my partner _won't_ give in." To say truth, it seemed as if the said partner, (stout lass Number 1), never would give in at all. From the time that the Sudberrys entered she had not ceased to dance reel after reel, without a minute of breathing-time. Her countenance was like the sun in a fog; her limbs moved as deftly and untiringly, after having tired out father and son, as they did when she began the evening; and she now went on, with a quiet smile on her face, evidently resolved to show their English guests the nature of female Highland metal. In the midst of all this the dogs suddenly became restive, and began to growl. Soon after, a knock came to the door, and the dogs rushed at it, barking violently. Mr McAllister went out, and found that a company of wandering beggars had arrived, and prayed to be allowed to sleep in the barn. Unfortunate it was for them that they came so soon after Mr Sudberry's unpleasant rencounter with one of their fraternity. The good man of the house, although naturally humane and hospitable to such poor wanderers, was on the present occasion embittered against them; so he ordered them off. This incident brought the evening to an abrupt termination, as it was incumbent on the farmer to see the intruders safely off his premises. So the Sudberrys returned, in a state of great delight, excitement, and physical warmth, to their own parlour. The only other fact worth recording in regard to this event is, that the Sudberrys were two hours late for breakfast next morning! STORY ONE, CHAPTER 16. THE EFFECTS OF COMPASSES.